One of the biggest risks of untreated hearing loss is social isolation. If you’re socially withdrawn for long enough, not only can this lead to depression, it can also contribute to dementia. This is why it’s important to seek treatment for hearing loss early and avoid being socially isolated. We review tips for this below.
Reach Out to Friends & Family
Your friends and family care about you, which means they want to know if you’re struggling so they can offer support. Reach out to your loved ones and tell them about your hearing challenges. Invite them over to your home so you can converse somewhere without a lot of distracting background noise.
Employ Communication Strategies
When you’re conversing, tell your partner what communication strategies are helpful for you. This may include:
- Facing each other directly
- Hanging out somewhere with good lighting
- Speaking more clearly and slowly than usual, but still naturally
- Having them say your name or touch your arm before they begin speaking to you
- Using simple sentences and rephrasing rather than repeating after a misunderstanding
- Avoiding eating while talking
- Turning off the music, the television or other background noise
- Providing written materials for instructions or directions.
- Taking turns speaking and not interrupting
Rediscover Old Hobbies
You don’t necessarily need to pick up something new, which can be intimidating. Think of hobbies you loved in your younger years—including when you were a kid. What could you rediscover and start doing again? Maybe it’s attending concerts or playing the guitar. Or maybe it’s playing chess or going on walks in Joe Riley Waterfront Park. Engaging in these and other hobbies with like-minded people can combat social isolation.
Volunteer
If you find yourself with more time on your hands than you know what to do with, consider volunteering. You can work with the homeless, with animals or with any other group you feel called to serve. Not only will this increase your number of interactions, but it will also give you a sense of greater purpose and fulfillment.
See an Audiologist
If you have hearing loss and haven’t yet sought treatment, know the best way to combat social isolation is to wear hearing aids. In fact, one study found that, “Hearing aid use appears to be a buffer against the experience of loneliness.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an expert audiologist, call Charleston ENT & Allergy today.